Kushiro Subprefecture

Kushiro (釧路支庁 Kushiro-shichō) is a subprefecture in south eastern Hokkaidō. It has a land area of 5,997 km². The estimated number of inhabitants is 267,961 (2007).

In addition to the city of Kushiro, where the subprefectural office is located, there are two single township districts, one single village district, and two districts with two towns. (It should be noted that Kushiro City and Kushiro Town are two different entities, occupying separate but adjoining areas.)

Kushiro contains two areas of special interest, the large wetlands of the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park north of Kushiro City, and the mountain lakeland area of Akan National Park in the north.

Contents

History

Kushiro Province (釧路国 Kushiro no kuni) was established at the beginning of the Meiji Period in 1869, but then abolished with the other Hokkaidō provinces in 1882. Kushiro Subprefecture was set up in 1897 and then renamed Kushironokuni Subprefecture (釧路国支庁) in 1922. The original name was restored in 1957.

Ashoro, one of seven original districts of Kushiro Province, was transferred to Tokachi in 1948.

Geography

Kushiro is bordered by Tokachi Subprefecture to the west, Abashiri to the north and Nemuro to the east. To the south is the Pacific Ocean. Much of the prefecture is low-lying, with mountains to the north and northwest.

Transport and communications

The JR Hokkaidō Nemuro Main (railway) Line (根室本線 Nemuro Honsen) from Sapporo to Nemuro passes through Kushiro, stopping at 21 other stations in the subprefecture.

Route 38 connects Kushiro City with Obihiro and utimately Sapporo to the west. Route 44 leads east to Nemuro, Route 272 goes northeast to Shibetsu and two roads go north to Lake Akan (Route 240) and Teshikaga (Route 391). There are no expressways.

Kushiro Airport (釧路空港 Kushiro Kūkō), northwest of the city near Route 240, is the only airport in Kushiro. It is managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and has regular flights to Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in Honshu and Sapporo (New Chitose and Okadama), Asahikawa, Hakodate in Hokkaidō.

Local government

Kushiro City and the districts, towns and villages of Kushiro Subprefecture

Kushiro City • Akan District: Tsurui • Akkeshi District: Akkeshi • Hamanaka • Kawakami: Shibecha • Teshikaga • Kushiro District: Kushiro Town • Shiranuka District: Shiranuka

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